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probably owing <strong>to</strong> the long gestation period required for attitudinal change.<br />

Proportion <strong>of</strong> Seats Held by Women in National<br />

and State Parliaments<br />

Institutional support for women in active politics<br />

has been a challenge, hence their poor<br />

participation in governance. Examples <strong>of</strong> other<br />

issues that inhibit their participation include the<br />

nature <strong>of</strong> political party formation, which is<br />

usually in the form <strong>of</strong> club or informal meetings<br />

initiated by male friends and business partners; the<br />

high cost <strong>of</strong> financing political parties and<br />

campaigns which may run as high as N200 million<br />

for aspirants <strong>to</strong> local positions 16 ; lack <strong>of</strong> willing<br />

and educated women <strong>to</strong> participate in the political<br />

process; and the imposition <strong>of</strong> cultural practices<br />

which expect women <strong>to</strong> conform <strong>to</strong> and confine<br />

themselves <strong>to</strong> male dominance and female<br />

subservience.<br />

Although there has been an increase in the<br />

numbers <strong>of</strong> women in legislative bodies, generally<br />

women continue <strong>to</strong> be under-represented in all<br />

structures <strong>of</strong> power and decision-making. Even as<br />

gender equality and empowerment <strong>of</strong> women are<br />

at the heart <strong>of</strong> many national and international<br />

commitments, including the UN Millennium<br />

Development Goals, not much progress has been<br />

made.<br />

In the 2009 DRGs budget, there were no projects<br />

implemented directly or indirectly by any <strong>of</strong> the<br />

line ministries <strong>to</strong>wards the achievement <strong>of</strong> this<br />

indica<strong>to</strong>r, making it glaring that it is far from<br />

being addressed, thus slowing down the<br />

achievement <strong>of</strong> the overall MDG 3<br />

16 http://www.boellnigeria.org/web/112-223.html<br />

Page 34 <strong>of</strong> 150

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